Device for gaging and marking ladies&#39; skirts.



No. 638,875. Patented Dem-I2, I899 l. E. MALARKEY. DEVICE FOR GAGING AND MARKING LADIES SKIRTS.

(Application filed m 9, 1899.)

(No Model.)

' INVE NT 0R ATES I ATEN DEVICE FOR GAGING AND MARKING LADIES SKIRTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 638,875, dated December 12, 1899. Application filed May 9, 1899- serial No. 716,160. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISABEL EDGAR MA- LARKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Gaging and Marking Ladies Skirts; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a gaging and marking device by means of which the length of a ladys skirt can be exactly measured and marked, so that when the bottom of the skirt is turned up and stitched to the mark thus made the bottom of the skirt will hang evenly all around.

One of the most tedious and difticult parts of a dressmakers Work is to get the bottom of a ladys dress-skirt even and of the same length all around. This part of the work is done after the skirt has been finished, all except the bottom. In order to complete this part of the work, it has been necessary heretofore for the dressmaker or fitter to get down upon the floor on hands and knees and adjust and pin the hem or turned-up portion piece by piece until she has gone around the entire skirt, and even then it often happens that the length of the skirt-bottom is irregular in places even after it has been gone over with the greatest care and pains.

My invention relates to a mechanical device which is at once a gage and marker, through which the lower edge of the skirt can be passed and its length exactly gaged and a chalk-mark made at the point where the hem or turned-up portion is to commence, so that after it has been gaged and marked the operator can take the skirt to a sewing-inachine and accurately and correctly turn up, hem, and stitch the extra length without other trouble, all as hereinafter more fully clescribed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 'l is a perspective view of my gaging and marking device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the adjustableinner gage-plate, showing the chalk-holder and a portion of the outer gage-plate and gage-stem. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the middle of the device, and Fig. 4 shows the application of the device.

A represents a vertical graduated bar or plate on which my gaging and marking device can be adjusted and secured. It is pro vided at its lower end with a clamping device, by means of which it can be secured to the edge of a table, or it may have any other form of base or support in case it should be supported on a floor or other level surface. I prefer to clamp it to the edge of a table, as shown at Fig. 4:, for convenience in operating it, and in this description I shall describe it in connection with a revolving table, on which the lady or model stands and is slowly revolved while the lower edge of the dress-skirt is passed through my gaging and marking device 5 but it will be readily understood that the device can be used Without the revolving table, as the person or model wearing the skirt may be otherwise revolved or turned around.

The gaging device consists of two parallel vertical plates 13 and C, one of which may be permanent and the other adjustable. The outer plate C is connected firmly with a slide D, which can be adjusted to any desired height on the graduated bar or plat-e A and be secured in place by a set-screw E. Abar F extends horizontally at a right angle from the lower edge of the plate C, and on this bar the adjustable inner plate Bis arranged to move on a slide G, and a set-screw it serves to fix it in place at whatever point it may be adj usted to on the bar with reference to plate C.

On the lower edge of the adjustable plate B is a horizontal ledge I, which projects in ward toward the vertical guide-bar A, and it passes underneath the stationary guide-plate C when the two are closely adj usted together, so as to form a bottom to the space between the two plates. At one end of this horizontal platform or ledge I is a shallow box is, in which a piece Z of French chalk or other marking substance is held and contained by a set-screw m. This chalk or marker extends across the width of the ledge, and it is preferably made triangular in form and set in the box so that one of its edges projects slightly above the level of the ledge I, so that anything passing over the ledge and close to it will come in contact with the projecting edge of the chalk or marker and be marked by it.

0 is a flat spring which has one end fastened to the outer face of the stationary plate O by a movable or rotary joint p. It extends across the inner face of the slide D, and its outer or opposite end is bent toward the adjustable plate B, the lower corner of plate 0 being cut away, as shown at Fig. 1, to allow its extremity to press against plate B when said plate B is adjusted within a short distance of the plate 0. This spring can be shifted on its rotary bearing so as to bring its free end closer to or farther from the ledge I, as desired, and is fixed and held in place by a set-screw r. The inturned extremity of this spring is preferably made angular, so that the lower edge or corner will form a point or spur to engage and prevent any piece of cloth or dress goods which comes-between its end and the outer face of plate B, against which it bears, from pulling upward, but which by the elasticity of the spring allows the cloth or dress goods to pass horizontally without interference between its end and the face of plate B.

As before stated, this gaging and marking device is fixed in place or clamped to the edge of a table S, which has a revolving top T. This revolving top is represented in the drawings as being a supplemental top supported above the fixed top 8 by a vertical shaft U, which passes up through the center of the stationary top. This shaft carries the revolving top at its upper end, while its lower end rests in a step or bearing near the floor. Spokes or arms V are arranged to radiate from this shaft at a short distance above the floor,so that the revolving table can be turned either by the foot or hand of the person who superintendsthe work. Various constructions of a revolving table adapted for this work can be devised, and I do not therefore claim this feature as an independent device.

In the use of my gaging and marking device the person on whom the dress is to be fitted, or a model in lieu thereof, is placed upon the revolving table, wearing the skirt to be gaged and marked. The gage and marker are then adjusted to the desired length of skirt by loosening the set-screw E and adj usting them on the vertical graduated rod to the proper point, and there fixing the device with the set-screw. The adjustable gageplate B is then drawn back so that the lower edge of the skirt can be readily introduced between it and the stationary plate C. The portion thus first introduced is then turned up on the inside until the fold or bight comes level with and touches the upper surface of the horizontal ledge I. The adjustable plate B is then moved closely up against the stationary plate 0, so that the free end of the spring presses the dress goods against the inner face of plate B, and the adjustable plate is then clamped in place by the set-screw h. The revolving table is then caused to revolve slowly, so as to turn the wearer or model, and the operator simply sees that the hem or turned-upportion is sufficient to keep the fold pressing against the ledge I and that the fold thus made passes over and in contact with the chalk or marker as the skirt edge passes between the plates. I shall usually make the plates slightly curved to conform to the circle of the dress-skirt. After the lower edge of the skirt has been thus passed through the gage and marker it is only necessary to remove the skirt from the person or model, and any operator can readily turn up and stitch the hem by folding it on the marked line.

I thus provide a simple and efiective device for giving a perfect even bottom and hang to dress-skirts no matter how deformed the wearer may be.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire, to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

1. A gage and marker for the bottom of dress-skirts, consisting of two vertical guideplates arranged parallel with each other; a horizontal ledge or plate extending across the space between said plates, and amarking device secured across said horizontal ledge or plate, substantially as described.

2. A gage and marker for the bottoms of dress-skirts, consisting of two Vertical guide plates having ad justability toward and from each other; a horizontal plate carried by one of said plates and adapted to form a level floor for the space between said plates, and a marker arranged across said space in linewith said platform or fioor, substantially as described.

3. A gage and marking device for the bottoms of skirts, consisting of two vertical guide-plates parallel with each other a transverse ledge or plate crossing the space between said plates; a marking device secured 1 across said space transversely to the ledge or plate, and a spring adapted to have its free end extend across the space between the two' plates and press against the face of the oppo site plate, substantially as described.

4. A gage and marking device for the bottoms of skirts, consisting of a vertical plate adjustable vertically on an upright bar a second vertical plate mounted parallel to said plate and adjustable horizontally toward or from it; a ledge or plate carried'by one of said plates and extending horizontally across the space between the two plates, and a marking device secured across said space transversely to the ledge or plate, substantially as described.

5. A gage and marking device for the bottoms of skirts, consisting of a vertical graduated bar, adapted to be clamped to the edge of a table; two guide-plates spaced apart and adapted to be adjusted vertically on said vertical bar; a horizontal ledge or plate extending across the space between said vertical plates, and a marking device adapted to mark the bottom of the skirt as it passes over the extending across the space between said plates; a marking device supported on the plane of the ledge or plate, and a fiat spring fixed at one end and adapted to have its free end pass across the space between the plates and press against the inner face of one of the plates, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April, A. D. 1899.

ISABEL EDGAR MALARKEY. WVitnesses:

OHAs. J. ARMIBRUSTER, J. A. BAYLESS. 

